Gleanings from Gethsemane

The point: Learn the lesson of Gethsemane: past light, communion, and felt presence of Christ do not prevent falling in temptation if you neglect watching and praying.

Martin shares his personal fear, despite 38 years of grace and spiritual privilege, that he could still fall if he neglects the means of grace, illustrating the sober warning from the disciples.

learn the lesson of Gethsemane yes you have had great light in the past you have had great seasons of communion with Christ you have known his felt presence in the secret place in the public place in the gathering of the saints of God you have known his nearness when you have opened his word he has spoken of his word and you have so did they but in the hour of temptation when they were sleeping instead of watching slumbered and they fell before the pressure of temptation I tell you one of my greatest fears lies right here I look back over 38 years of being in a state of grace and I think of th...

21:40 - 23:08 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not become confident in past faithfulness to the point of indulging 'the second look' or relaxing vigilance against seduction, as this makes you a 'sitting duck to fall'.

He uses the example of a man who has been faithful to his wife for decades but begins to indulge 'the second glance' at seductive advertisements, illustrating how past faithfulness does not guarantee future purity without vigilance.

they began was indeed that that's possible that's why you are the most likely candidates to fall there's some of you been true to your wives for 10 15 20 years and you've begun to be so confident you'd never fall to indulge the second look you can hardly watch an ad on TV now but what it doesn't drip with seductiveness to relax a tired mind I tried to watch a little baseball yesterday and what did I have to get in the middle of a car activeness of the most blatant kind semi-pornographic had to turn my head away but you said oh I've been 30 years true to my

24:30 - 25:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not assume maturity or strength allows you to engage in situations (like indiscriminate mixed bathing) that previously led to temptation, as this is a path to falling.

He uses the example of someone who once avoided 'indiscriminate mixed bathing situations' but now feels mature enough to handle them, illustrating the danger of overconfidence in one's spiritual strength.

wife and you've begun to take the second glance and kind of wait for that ad to come on the next time you've allowed your eyes to be the inlet of the second look and where once you found I cannot then keep a pure mind go into indiscriminate mixed bathing situations now you've said well I'm old enough and mature enough and strong enough and I've been true to my wife I can glance at other flesh and it won't bother me you're a sitting duck to fall I'm happy

25:59 - 27:19 Read in full sermon

The point: Be prepared to suffer for doing the will of God, even if it means sacrificing career advancement, salary, or prestige.

He illustrates understanding Gethsemane by describing a scenario where a believer chooses to forgo career advancement (and associated suffering) rather than compromise their commitment to God's people and means of grace.

but this simple observation if you would even begin to begin to understand Gethsemane you know the point at which you'll understand it when doing the revealing and there's no way to avoid the suffering but to refuse the will of God that's when you will learn what Gethsemane is all about there's the next step in the corporate job ladder there's the next step in the corporate job ladder but the prior weekends away from the house of God from the people of God from the means of grace from the family and you tell your superiors that you're honored you're thankful for their recognition of your hones...

34:41 - 36:08 Read in full sermon

The point: As parents, be ready to suffer the rejection of your children rather than compromise God's rule and standards in your home.

He illustrates understanding Gethsemane by describing parents who choose to maintain God's rule in their home, even if it means suffering the rejection and departure of their children, rather than compromising standards.

in the crucible of suffering for some of you as parents you know what it will mean like Joshua you've said as for me and my house we will serve the Lord and as the head of your house you have established that the rule of God will be maintained you can't save your kids but you can and must establish a framework of God's rule in that home and the children come to age and they don't like that rule and they begin to negotiate for you to lower it and you know that the price for keeping it is this that they're going to walk out the front door and you're going to lose your kids are you ready for the ...

36:08 - 37:31 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not compromise standards in dating or marriage out of panic or self-indulgence, but be willing to suffer by asking God to dry up inappropriate romantic interests.

He illustrates understanding Gethsemane by describing a single person who, out of panic over singleness, compromises their previously held standards for a spouse, bypassing suffering and the will of God.

and then into your third year single you get panicky in your teens and early twenties you set certain standards I will not respond in my high luxury of the first flutter of romantic interest let alone conversation let alone a date principle has nothing to do with the width of his shoulders it has to twenty twenty-two twenty-four twenty-seven now you're getting near panic stage and you find someone who makes your heart flutter and you didn't ask those questions now what is his character

39:12 - 40:32 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not be intimidated by a spouse's refusal in bed in a day of self-indulgence, but have the courage to self-impose celibacy if necessary to honor God.

He quotes Hugh Martin, who suggests that God's theater of outward circumstances (Christ's treatment as a criminal) vividly illustrates the unseen spiritual reality of Christ being indicted and made sin for us in the court of heaven.

Arrange it that way. Hugh Martin perceptibly suggests this. God's theater of the circumstances where men could see so that we might have a vivid illustration and demonstration of what was going on in the world where human eyes cannot see. The world of spiritual reality where God sits upon his throne as judge, where he keeps the record of all the sins of all men.

46:07 - 46:41 Read in full sermon